She shook off thoughts of her ex and met Grant’s hard stare. “What’s that?”
That wicked grin of his widened, deepening his dimples. “Flirting. Is that something you need to figure in, or should I add that into my two-hour time slot? I am a master at multitasking, you know.”
“So you’ve mentioned before.”
“I think I’ll keep my two hours to work, and throw in a little flirting when you least expect it.”
Had the heat kicked on in here? Tessa resisted the urge to undo a button on her shirt for some extra air. She also refused to rub her damp palms along her pants. She would not give Grant the satisfaction of knowing he was getting to her.
“So I need to be ready for you at any time?” she asked, forcing her eyes to remain locked on his.
“Ready? You could never be ready, Country.”
She studied his tanned face, his chocolate eyes beneath thick brows. “Why is it I have a feeling you have a problem with controlling your hormones?”
“Oh, I can control them,” he assured her. “Because if I couldn’t, I would’ve already kissed you.”
That simple declaration weakened her knees. She leaned back against the counter and took a deep breath. If she couldn’t avoid the roller coaster of emotions, she may as well enjoy the ride.
“Then it’s a good thing you have control, because kissing me would be a mistake.”
Yeah, that was a gauntlet she knew he’d pick up. Why was she flirting, purposely provoking him? She did not have time for this. Beyond that, she didn’t like him—or didn’t want to like him—and she sure as hell didn’t like this whole movie idea. But there was nothing she could do about it at this point.
Damn, she was attracted, and she hated every blasted nerve that sizzled for him.
“That so?” Holding that mesmerizing smile, he inched closer and whispered, “And why would kissing be a mistake?”
“For one thing, I’m not comfortable with this movie.”
His lips turned up slightly. “Anything else?”
“I don’t have time. In case you’re unaware of how the season works, I’m gearing up for the first of many races, which I hope will lead me down the path to the coveted Triple Crown.”
“I don’t think a kiss would throw off your rigorous routine.” He laughed, still continuing to invade her personal space. “And I’m more than aware of how the season works. I did thorough research for this film.”
“You don’t seem like the type of guy who would do thorough research on anything,” she retorted. “You seem too laid-back.”
In a flash, his hands came up, framed her face, and he had her all but bent over onto the island. The hard planes of his body molded against hers. Sweat trickled between her shoulder blades as she waited to see what he would do. And that wait only made her more aware of just how sexy, how powerful this man was. Her breath caught in her throat as his face hovered mere inches from hers.
“Baby, I’m thorough...with everything.”
His mouth slid over hers, and Tessa was glad she was wedged between his hard body and the counter, or she would’ve withered to the floor. The full-on attack sent shivers through her entire being, affecting areas never touched.
And there it was. That click. A click of something so perfect sliding into place, but Tessa couldn’t focus on it because Grant was consuming every bit of her thoughts, her body, with one single kiss.
He coaxed her lips apart with his tongue, leaving her no choice but to accept him. How could a kiss be felt in your entire body? Such a simple act sent tremors racing one after the other through her.
A slight groan escaped her as Tessa gripped his thick biceps.
Before she could revel in the sensations sweeping through her overheated body, Grant lifted his head, met her gaze and smiled.
“Sorry. Guess I can’t control my hormones.”
“What about that clause?” she asked, cursing her breathless tone.
That sultry grin spread across his face. “I didn’t come close to violating the clause.”
Grant walked out the back door, and it took Tessa a moment to realize that she still had over an hour left in the time she’d allotted for him. And she hadn’t given him his copy of the spreadsheet.
With a sigh, she sank onto the nearest bar stool and came to a conclusion. Grant Carter had caught her off guard, and he’d been right. She would never be ready for him.
Grant glanced at the spreadsheet on the kitchen counter in the guest cottage he was staying in. Although “cottage” was a loose term for the two thousand square foot home, complete with patio overlooking the stables and a massive walk-in shower in the master suite.
As he raked his eyes over the colorful paper, he took another sip of the strong coffee he’d just made. Little Miss Country Organizer would be pissed. He was already five minutes late...which may or may not have been on purpose.
Of course, she’d given him the spreadsheet a day late, so it wasn’t as if she had a leg to stand on in her defense.
Yesterday, after he’d lost control and kissed her, he’d walked around on his own, and by the time he returned to his guest cottage, she’d taped the schedule to the front door.
But in defense of his tardiness today, he’d had an early-morning call from Bronson Dane regarding a hiccup in the crew’s plans for arrival, and he’d had to deal with that. Grant took another sip of the coffee and placed the half-full cup back on the counter. No time to finish it, and he had a feeling Tessa wouldn’t care about his excuse for being late.
Why did he feel as if he was heading to the principal’s office? She was a grown woman, she had no control over him and he wasn’t going to get suspended. So why get all wrapped up in the details of a color-coded piece of paper?
Grabbing the house key and shoving it into his jean’s pocket, Grant headed out the door and made his way toward the massive two-story stables. The stone building, with its dark wood trim and weathered wooden doors, would make an impressive backdrop for many scenes. It suggested power and wealth, much like the great Barrington patriarch himself.
When Grant stepped over the threshold, he saw Tessa heading toward the opening of the stables atop a Thoroughbred. Without a word, he stood still and admired the scene, both as a producer and as a man.
She had her dark red hair pulled in that low ponytail again. The crimson strands slid back and forth as her body shifted in the saddle. Her simple white shirt was tucked into jeans that looked perfectly worn in all the right spots. Grant’s palms literally ached to feel those slim hips beneath them. For someone so petite and delicate looking, she had curves that would make any man drop to his knees and beg for anything and everything she was willing to give.
“Are
